She had messaged him daily and hadn't received a response from him for hours. The sort of response one would receive when he was busy or stuck in a series of meetings.Jenny gritted her teeth and put down the phone. She was not going to continue like this. She was not going to continue second-guessing everything he did, every silence. Thoughts began racing off in her head. Was he keeping something from her? Or was there simply a streak of bad luck? Either way, the doubt had crept in, and now it would not cease.In the back of town, JM Reese sat frowning at his phone. His thoughts weren't on the reports to be perused or on the board meeting just around the corner. Neither were they on the work emails that poured into his inbox. His thoughts were on something—and only something: Eva Ross.Eva's father was a competitor in the same business sector his company was competing against. He'd seen her in snatches over the past few weeks at a ball, danced her out. As soon as he saw her for the f
Saben's phone rang out across the level expanse of his desk, its gentle ring snapping him out of concentration as he read reports. His gaze dropped to the screen to see Jenny's name flash on the screen. A sudden frown creased his lips as he revealed the message.We’ll talk. But don’t expect me to just roll over and play nice. I’ve got work to do, and I’m done being your target.Saben couldn't suppress the snort that had escaped his lips. There it was again—her conviction, her passion. It was almost exciting, all right. Most anyone would have been surprised by him, but Jenny. No, she wasn't among them. She didn't take a step back from standing up to him with his bulls, for herself. And for some reason, that made her that much more fascinating.He read her words again, but more slowly. She was furious, outraged—in between he could feel tension. But there was something else, too. Something unexplainable. Challenge. Challenge that he'd not even known he'd been wishing for.For a second, S
Hours afterward, after banter and teasing with his family had faded into the gentle hum of the estate at dusk, Saben was alone in the stillness of the living room, pacing before the large fireplace. The estate was vacant now, apart from staff who labored quietly behind the scenes. His head was reeling—images of Jenny bursting on him like lightning flashes, not to be shunned.He paced, pushing a hand through his hair in frustration.Why did she always linger in his thoughts?He couldn't deny the attraction between them, the way she had him torn between two worlds: the icy, detached professional who never allowed his guard to drop, and the man who felt himself irresistibly drawn to the one woman capable of quite possibly losing him.His mind spun back to how she'd attacked him at their last board meeting, the look of fury in her eyes but there'd been something else behind it as well. Something more. Respect? He did not know, but there was. something. different. Teasing.Now all he could
The sun had only dipped beneath the Thompson Estates when Saben arrived, his sleek black car curling up the winding drive lined with trimmed hedges and white hydrangeas. The estate, ancient and elegant, bore the weight of three generations of power and legacy.Inside, the high-ceilinged living room vibrated with the scent of rosemary roast and soft classical music. Crystal chandeliers cast golden sparkles on waxed marble floors.Benedict Thompson, never slow on his feet even in his navy cashmere sweater, was spinning a wine glass by the fireplace. His wife, Sabrina, reclined on the velvet chaise, as lovely and poised as the CEO she once was.Grandmother Teresa sat beside the bookshelf, reading an old copy of The Art of War, as Leila Auburn, the naughty one of the two grandmothers, adjusted her diamond earrings, smiling.And sitting beside the big chair by the window was Wendy Taylor, great-grandmother at 97, whose entrance still felt like a royal decree. Cane in hand, shawl draped ove
It was only seconds before she realized Saben was purposefully out of his way coming towards her, pestering her with little comments, and needling her more than ever. Jenny sat at her desk typing up reports when, in a habitual manner, the door to her office groaned."Jenny," the ice in Saben's tone cut through the air. She didn't have to look up, didn't have to turn around, to recognize that it was him.She kept typing at her computer, hammering away hotly on an email in an effort to keep tension at bay. "Yes, Saben?"He moved slowly, purposefully. She could hear him coming towards her.“You’re still working on those reports,” he said, his voice a little too casual for her liking. “I would’ve thought you’d have them finished by now.”Jenny clenched her jaw but didn’t let her annoyance show. "I’m almost done," she replied curtly, trying to avoid eye contact. "I just need to go over the projections one more time."He did not budge. Instead, he simply stood there, a few feet outside her
"Saben," she commanded, her voice firm. "I want the reports on your desk this afternoon at five o'clock."Saben's eyes blinked for a moment, a dance of something—interest, maybe?—struggling behind them. He lowered his head, though his face was tight."Good," he growled. "I'm waiting."Jenny's heart leapt into her throat as Saben came over. She could sense the tension, the tension between them. He was not saying a word, but his presence in itself was suffocating—overwhelming, autocratic.She bristled, holding her breath to calm it, but tension was building inside her belly by the second. Something he was doing, the way he was looking at her that made her feel as if he was trying to analyze her, or even waiting for her to break down. His expressionless face, but there was determination around his eyes that made her heart beat quicker.“I’ll make sure the reports are thorough,” Jenny said, trying to keep her voice steady, but there was an edge to her words. She couldn’t help it. Every ti